


Car Share Finale: the ride home

by RecklessRedmond



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 08:32:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14766152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RecklessRedmond/pseuds/RecklessRedmond
Summary: Ahead of the long-awaited conclusion to John & Kayleigh's journey together in Car Share, this is my version of what might happen after they are reunited and travelling back from work together on the day after the big argument.No copyright infringement intended.





	Car Share Finale: the ride home

After 5 minutes of glancing at the staff door every time it creaked open John was finally rewarded when Kayleigh came out of it, grinning and waving when she spotted him.

As she tottered round to the passenger door John drank in the sight of her, a proud smile playing on his lips. She caught his gaze and gave a little Beyoncé shimmy which he knew was for his eyes only, sending his mind off into a familiar little flight of fantasy which he intended to share with her very soon. 

The moment she clambered into the car he leaned across to greet her with a swift kiss on the cheek which seemed to catch her by surprise. She pulled back slightly, quickly scanning the car park and noting Alexa's quizzical face peering at them from the smoking shelter.

"I thought you said we shouldn't fraternise at work?" she asked in apparent confusion. "You said earlier we shouldn't have lunch together in case it got out."

She had been crestfallen but not entirely surprised when he had replied to her suggestion with a text saying 'I don't think it's a good idea. People will talk. I need to pop out anyway. I'll see you at home time - can't wait! xx'. She had been slightly mollified by the exclamation on the last line and the uncharacteristic addition of kisses to his text, but still she was disappointed not to have seen him all day. And it wasn't for want of trying; she had made up reasons to pop into HR and Admin twice, hoping she might bump into him in the office corridor, but to no avail.

He had the good grace to redden somewhat, shifting in his seat till he was facing her:

"Look, maybe I was wrong about that, OK? I missed you today, it got me thinking...."

"Thinking what?"

"I'll tell you in a bit," he improvised, noticing Elsie emerge from the staff door. By the time he had clicked his seatbelt on and put the car into gear she was barrelling towards them, waving and calling Kayleigh's name, a big grin on her face.

"Oh Christ, sorry! We better get going John." Kayleigh looked mortified and clicked her own seatbelt into place, managing to avoid Elsie's eye as they pulled away.

"What were all that about?" he asked when they finally merged into traffic, a frowning Elsie retreating in the rear view mirror.

"I think I might have dropped a bit too much of a hint to Diane earlier. I should have realised she'd tell Elsie... sorry!"

"Why, what did you say?" There was only curiosity in his tone, and a hint of amusement, not the exasperation or anger she was half expecting.

"Well, we were talking about Ted2 earlier and I might have said I don't need a fantasy figure any more... She was on it straight away, asking if I'd got a new fella and I said 'not exactly'. I said it without thinking John, you know how rubbish I am at lying!" 

She stole an anxious glance at him: "You're not mad at me are you?"

To her surprise he chuckled and shook his head. "Only you! No, I'm not mad at you. That's what I was trying to say before... Here, let me pull in up here."

He manoeuvred the car into a lay by and turned to meet her curious gaze. 

"I was saying I missed you at lunchtime. And it got me thinking..." He reached over and brushed his fingers down her cheek fondly. "I want to be with you Kayleigh. And I don't care if everyone knows it."

Her eyes crinkled in delight, her hand curling around his forearm possessively. 

"So am I officially your girlfriend now?" she grinned.

He sat back in his seat and smiled, seeing an opportunity to tease and surprise her. "I s'pose you are. For now."

Her face fell uncertainly. "What do you mean 'for now'?"

"Well, I suppose you're my girlfriend at the moment aren't you? That's all I'm saying. Y'know, women come and women go...."

"John!" 

He looked over at her, a pout on her face, and let out a chuckle. It was one of the things that had made him aware that his growing feelings for her might not be unreciprocated; that she wore her heart on her sleeve and couldn't hide her jealousy. 

"What? What's so funny?" she demanded.

"You know the next line don't you - y'know, from Dreams?" he prompted.

"The Fleetwood Mac one?" she queried and began to croon "And when the rain washes you clean..." 

"You'll know, you will know," John joined in and finished the line for her. 

He chuckled again as she persisted: "Know what though?"

"John!" she protested when he didn't answer. 

In truth his mind had skipped ahead and he took a deep breath, ratcheting up his resolve but striving to keep his tone light:

"Actually, I got you a present."

She immediately perked up, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"For me? You didn't have to do that!"

"I know, but I wanted to. Have a look in the glove compartment there..."

She opened it and fished out a flat square object wrapped in brown paper.

"Excuse the wrapping, it's all I had time to get," he deadpanned, recalling the previous occasion when they had exchanged gifts, realising how much he - they - had changed since then.

"Is it a CD by any chance?" she giggled, eagerly ripping off the paper.

"The Corrs!" she exclaimed as the contents were revealed, "Greatest Hits. Aww John, I love it! C'mere!"

She moved to reward him with a kiss but he held up a hand to ward her off. 

"No, open it properly," he insisted.

Surprised, she sat back and removed the rest of the paper, curiously prising open the CD case. In the inside cover was a yellow post-it with a handwritten note:. He watched her intently as she took in the words: Track 3 is from me to you. You're the love of my life. Always, John.'

Her hand went to her mouth and she looked up at him with liquid eyes. "Oh John..." she whispered, unable to say any more.

"Here," he said in a mock-gruff manner. "Let me." He removed the CD from its case, slipped it into the stereo and forwarded to Track 3.

As the familiar notes filled the car, a tear spilled down her cheek.

Say it's true  
There's nothing like me and you  
I'm not alone  
Tell me you feel it too

"Run Away," she announced. "I love this song. I want it to be..."

"Your first dance," he interrupted, sliding his hand into his jacket pocket. "I know..."

And I would run away  
I would run away, yeah yeah  
I would run away  
I would run away with you

As she watched wide-eyed he slipped a small, square leather box from his pocket and held it towards her. Time seemed to stand still and the world fell away as their gazes locked, questions and answers in each other's eyes, the track playing on:

Because I, have fallen in love with you  
No, never, I'm never gonna stop  
Falling in love with you

As the last notes faded John voiced the words which had been rattling unrehearsed round his head since lunchtime:

"Kayleigh Kitson, I will love you till the day I die. Will you run away with me and be my wife?"

At first she seemed frozen in shock, but then she crumpled into his arms as he leaned in to catch her. Her hands gripped his lapels and she buried her head in his shoulder, clinging to him tightly, her own shoulders shaking slightly, her lips murmuring his name. Still clutching the ring box he rubbed her back soothingly, dropping kisses in her hair. 

He had expected an emotional reaction, but not one this quiet; silent shaking sobs rather than squeals of delight.

When she pulled back to look up at him he couldn't read the look in her watery eyes and the familiar flashes of self doubt began to fire up in his brain.

"Are you ok? Is it too much? Too soon? Should I...."

Before he could say anything further her eyes flickered to his lips and his words died on them. Bathed in the warm glow of her gaze he hazily recalled it was the same look of love and longing she had bestowed on him on the night of the staff party and, like then, he found himself inexorably drawn into her orbit. Except this time there was no warbling intrusion from Mariah Carey, no insistent interruption from Elsie to stall his progress, as their lips met in a tentative kiss. As his panic began to subside and her mouth moved against his, she slipped her arms round his neck, the press of her lips becoming more certain, the demand to deepen the kiss irresistible. All thoughts fled; all he was aware of was the feel of her mouth on his, the sweep of her tongue against his lips, the sweetness of her breath as she sighed into his mouth.

It took the sharp blare of a car horn further down the road to jolt him back to his senses, and he tore his lips from hers, even as she tried to follow, her eyes drifting open in apparent confusion.

He still held the ring box in the hand now resting on her thigh and he brought it back into her line of vision, gently prompting her:

"Can I take that as a 'Yes' then?", he asked, amusement and adoration suffusing his voice.

She answered by gently lifting the box from his fingers, slowly, carefully prising it open. The exclamation all ready formed on her lips stalled and her look turned to one of confusion: 

"John, what's this? There's a hula hoop in here. Is this supposed to be some kind of joke?"

"No!" he protested quickly. "Look, I went to the jewellers at lunchtime but I didn't know your ring size, did I? And I didn't want to get something you mightn't like..." 

As she removed the hula hoop from its setting and twirled it in her fingers he continued in his own defence: "Anyway, you haven't given me an answer..." 

Her eyes widened in delight as she saw the opportunity he was presenting: "Didn't I? What was the question again?"

Her feigned innocence was his undoing; in that moment he knew that the impulsive trip to the jewellers had been the right thing to do, the unorthodox substitute ring notwithstanding. He wanted it to be her choice, on her terms. But he was offering her everything, hoping that he could be the one to make her dreams come true. The life they could have together flashed before him: her twinkling eyes and tinkling laugh, the way in which she challenged and complemented him, the acceptance of his occasionally curmudgeonly ways, the disagreements and makings-up, the family they would raise, the days out and nights in together - in the space of a heartbeat he realised he wanted that to be his life, their future.

He took the hula hoop from her and grasped her hand, squishing himself unceremoniously down in his seat, as far as the steering wheel and his big-boned frame would allow.

"Kayleigh, look I can't get down on one knee and I've only got this hula hoop to give you. We'll head straight to the jewellers in the morning if that's what you want, or we could go to the Trafford Centre right now, there might be one open till late there..."

"John...," she prompted gently, laughter and joy evident in the way she said his name, bringing his focus back to the woman in front of him.

He held the hula hoop up and locked his lovelorn eyes with hers.

"Kayleigh, will you marry me?" 

"Yes," she whispered, and watched as he slipped the savoury snack onto her finger. It fitted perfectly.

"Yes."

 

THE END.....OR THE BEGINNING?


End file.
